Two-way creep check



1943. R. T. wooomss 45 Filed June 27, 1941 strained'by the anchors.

Patented July 13," 1943 Two-WAY CREEPCHECK Robert T. Woodings, Oakmont, Pa., assignor to Woodings-Verona Tool Works, Verona, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 27, 1941, Serial No. 400,008

8 Claims. (Cl. 238329) This invention relates to creep checks for railroad rails, and more particularly to thosefor single track systems where trains travel in both directions over the same rails.

The ordinary creep check is clamped to a rail base in engagement with that side of the tie from which the rail tends to move across the tie as a train travels over the rail. In two-track systems where all of the trains on one track travel in the same direction, the creep checks are all placed on the same side of the ties because the rails try to creep in only one direction. When only one track is used and trains must travel in both directions over it, it is necessary to restrain the rails from creeping in either direction. In such cases where separate rail anchors are placed on both sides of the ties, the anchors tend to workaway from the ties until the rails can creep a considerable distance Without being re- 'It is among the objects of this invention to provide a two-way; creep check which is easily applied to a rail, which is simple and inexpensive in'construction, in which the railv anchors are prevented from working away from the tie and which isadjustable for use with ties of different widths.

In accordance with this invention a rail anchor of an suitable form is fastened to a rail on each side of a tie in engagement, or substantially so, with the tie. These anchors are tied together by a separate cross bar detachably connected thereto, whereby the anchors are prevented from working away from the tie. The cross bar preferably is so formed that it can be used with ties of different widths. For this purpose the bar ,most suitably is provided at its ends with transverse shoulders which engage the outer sides of the anchors to hold the anchors in place, one end of the barhaving a plurality of these shoulders spaced lengthwise of the bar so that the anchor at that end can be held against the tie regardless of the width of the tie.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my two-way creep check applied to a rail mounted on a tie; and Fig. 2 is a reduced perspective view of the bar that connects the rail anchors.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, a railroad rail l is mounted on a conventional tie-plate 2 provided at the sides of the rail seat with spike holes through which spikes 3 are driven for holding the rail and tie-plate down on the supporting cross tie 4. To restrain the rail from creeping longitudinally in either direction across the tie-plate and tie, a rail anchor i5 is connected to the rail base at each side of the tie and substan-- tially in engagement with it. This anchor may take various forms, but preferably is the onepiece clamping type formed from a resilient metal bar bent to form bearing areas that engage the top and bottom of each rail flange so that the anchor willtightly grip the rail. It is provided atone end with a reverse bend or loop 1 that is driven over the marginal portion of one railbase factorily with narrower ties.

flange, and at the opposite end with an upwardly extending notched portion 8 that snaps over the edge of the opposite rail base flange.

It is a feature of this invention that the anchors are prevented from working away from the tie as trains travel back and forth over the rail. Accordingly, the two anchors are connected together by a separate straight metal bar 9 that preferably rests on top of the rail base flange and extends along its marginalportion and projects beyond the sides of the tie. The loops 1 at the ends of the rail anchors open Wide enough to permit them to be driven up over the projecting ends of the bar which is thereby clamped to the rail, and a pair of spikes 3 engage the top of the bar for pressing the rail down onto the tie plate. To enable the bar to hold the anchors close to the sides of the tie, its opposite ends are provided with transverse shoulders H and I2 that engage the outer sides of the anchor loops 1. The bar is of such length that these shoulders are spaced apart just far enough to hold the rail anchors substantially in engagement with the sides of a standard wide tie, such as a ten inch tie.

Another feature of this invention is that this two-way creep check can be used just as satisthis, at least one end of the bar is provided with one or more transverse shoulders i3 and I4 spaced apartlongitudinally of the bar distances corresponding'to the usual standard variations in Widths cities. Thus, the distance between the innermost shoulder M and shoulder l2 at the opposite end may be such as to be used when an eight inch tie is employed, while the other shoulder i3 may be used with a nine inch tie. Consequently, the same pair of anchors and the same connecting bar can be used with ties of various widths, thereby facilitating mass production of these creep checks.

The shoulders in the bar are formed preferably by notching the bar to provide inwardly facing substantially vertical surfaces. These notches To provide for struction of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the ap-' pended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A two-way creep check for a rail mounted on a cross tie, said creep check comprising a pair of rail anchors adapted to be fastened to the rail and formed for independently holding themselves thereon at both sides of the tie, and a separate bar provided at its ends with shoulders adapted to engage said anchors above the tie to hold them close to the sides of the tie.

2. A two-way creep check for a rail mounted on a cross tie, said creep check comprising a pair of one-piece resilient rail anchors adapted to be clamped to the rail by their resiliency and to engage both sides of the tie, and a separate bar adapted to engage said anchors above the tie and formed for holding them close to the sides of ties of different widths.

3. A two-way creep check for a rail mounted on a tie-plate on a cross tie, said creep check comprising a pair of one-piece resilient rail anchors adapted to be clamped to the rail by their resiliency and to engage both sides of the tie, and a separate bar adapted to be clamped to the rail by said anchors, the ends of the bar being provided with shoulders for engaging the outer sides of the anchors to hold the anchors close to the sides of the tie.

4. A two-way creep check for a rail mounted on a tie-plate on a cross tie, said creep check comprising a pair of rail anchors provided with clamping jaws adapted to grip the rail base flanges at both sides of the tie, and a separate bar v adapted to be clamped to the rail by said jaws, the

' to the rail by said anchors, the ends of the bar being provided with transverse shoulders for engaging the outer sides of the anchors to hold the anchors close to the sides of the tie, and one end of' the bar having'a pluralit of said shoulders spaced longitudinally thereof whereby to hold the anchor at that end close to the tie regardless of the width of the tie. a

6. The combination with a rail having a base flange mounted on a tie-plate on a cross tie, of a rail anchor fastened to the rail at each side'of the tie and substantially engaging the tie, a bar clamped to the to of the rail base flange by said anchors and engaging only said top, said bar being formed to hold the anchors close tothe tie, andmeans overlying said barbetween said an-, chors for fastening the rail tothe tie. Y

'7. In a two-way creep check for a rail mounted on a cross tie, a bar adapted to be clamped to the rail by rail anchors disposed on opposite sides of the tie, said bar being formed to engage only the top of the rail base flange and being provided'with a transverse shoulder at each end for engaging the outer sides of said anchors to hold them substantially in engagement with the sides of the tie.

8. In a two-way creep check for a rail mounted on a cross tie, a bar of rectangular cross section adapted to be clamped to the toponly of the rail base flange by rail anchors disposed on opposite sides of the tie, said bar being provided with a single transverse shoulder at one end and a pluraiity of transverse shoulders at the opposite end for engaging the outer sides of said anchorsto hold them substantially in engagement with the sides of the tie. I

ROBERT 'I. WOODINGS. 

